Bizzarri is the first luxury brand speaker to present at the series, which is now in its 14th year and has previously featured talks from Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the former chief executives of Australian department store chains Myer and David Jones.

The Gucci exec is part of a conga line of international fashion players who are in fact heading to Australia to speak at events in the coming weeks.

Cynthia Rowley and Ermenegildo Zegna chairman Paolo Zegna are due to head up next week’s business seminar program at the Melbourne Museum in Carlton, as part of the 21st annual Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, which runs until March 19 at venues in around the city.

Rowley will be joined on the speaking panel at March 16th’s VAMFF Business Breakfast by Adidas Originals global category director collaborations Rachel Muscat.

Later that evening, Zegna will oversee the presentation of the 2017 Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards at the Museum’s Treetops restaurant. A small international media contingent is being flown in by the company to attend both the awards and a second media tour of the Achill woolgrowing farm in Armidale New South Wales, which Zegna first unveiled last year. The company has a 60percent stake in the property.

Rowley, meanwhile, will present a capsule collection from her ranges at the newly refurbished Harrolds multibrand luxury emporium on Collins Street.

Just on VAMFF, I’ll be joining a great panel of local speakers at the festival’s first Fashion Industry Forum on March 15, where we’ll discuss the topic of responsible fashion, from ethics to sustainability.